Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) is sending $400,000 to 23 state Democratic parties several months in advance of the 2026 midterm elections.
The sizable donation is intended to fund the Democratic Party’s political infrastructure. Warren hopes Democrats can keep up the momentum after their major election victories last year.
The progressive senator said it’s better to donate to the state Democratic parties in January rather than in October, right before the midterm elections, in a statement to Politico.
“They need the resources to build out infrastructure that all of our Democratic candidates will need to win in November,” she told the news outlet. “They need money now to hire staff, recruit volunteers, knock on doors, make calls, do all the things that make Democrats competitive in these elections.”
Among the 23 states receiving checks from Warren are Maine, North Carolina, Ohio, and Texas. All 23 states have competitive congressional or statewide races this year.
In Maine, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) is seeking a sixth term — but not without facing competition from whichever Democratic candidate rises above the crowded primary field. Gov. Janet Mills (D-ME) and political newcomer Graham Platner are the two most notable candidates in the primary race. Mills benefits from name recognition as a two-term governor, while Platner generated buzz last fall with his inflammatory comments on social media and his Nazi-linked tattoo.
In Ohio, former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and former Ohio public health official Amy Acton are competing in a key gubernatorial race that will determine who succeeds Gov. Mike DeWine (R-OH). Ramaswamy and Acton both announced their running mates this week, a sign that the race is about to heat up.
In a video explaining her $400,000 donation, Warren cast the “down payment” as a way to oppose President Donald Trump. She criticized his failure to lower some costs one year into his second term.
“Instead of lowering costs, Trump seems to have bigger fish to fry, starting with giving giant tax breaks to giant corporations and building a gold-encrusted ballroom for himself,” she said. “That’s Trump’s version of America first.”
DEMOCRATS MARK JAN. 6 WITHOUT MAKING IT A MIDTERM RALLYING CRY
Warren argued that Democrats are more committed to affordability, an issue Trump has been prioritizing since Republican losses last November. However, she said, Democrats first need to win “big majorities” in both chambers of Congress before they can start working to lower everyday costs for Americans.
The Massachusetts Democrat raised more than $1.1 million for her party during the off-year election cycle in an effort to support grassroots candidates. She intends to do the same this year.